1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an exercise device particularly for the muscles of the upper leg and lower abdomen.
2. Description of Prior Art
When exercising the legs and lower abdomen muscles it is necessary to provide an exercising device that will help to give the adductor and abductor muscles (tendons and ligaments) acting on the upper thigh, hip and buttocks (as well as the muscles of the lower abdominal area) increased strength and flexibility and thereby an improved toned shape as opposed to building an undesirable bulky muscle mass which usually occurs with the use of weighted plate machines. This more streamlined shape is particularly important to women who are concerned about the appearance of their thighs, hips and buttocks, and are desirous of slender firmer appearance. Furthermore and more importantly, this exercise device can be used for the rehabilitation of people recovering from hip traumas and particularly pre- and post-hip operative conditions.
Research into the applied anatomical interaction of muscles (tendons and ligaments) shows that for the purpose of producing increased strength (resulting in toning and firming) a muscle must ideally be acting against positive and negative resistance through, as much as possible, its full range of possible movement. This concept of positive and negative resistance is utilized in this invention to produce increased strength along with improved flexibility which is a most important by-product of this invention.
There are various forms of exercise devices now available for different parts of the human body. There are less desirable devices which are rigid and which merely provide a means for resisting muscular movement. However, generally such devices involve springs or plates weighted to various levels of resistance in which pressure is applied at both ends or at one end of the device, either inwardly or outwardly, vertically upwards or downwards. The effort of overcoming the spring or weight-loaded resistance provides the necessary tension to strengthen the muscles of the arms, shoulders, chest, back, abdomen, the flexors and extensors of the legs and the calves. Most of these devices primarily operate by having pressure applied by the muscles, through the hands. In the case of leg machines pressure is applied through the feet and ankles. In both instances the force of exertion is along the central axis of the body of the device, depending upon the nature of the resilient means. The spring or weighted plates can be mounted outside that axis, for example in machines with semi-circular springs as well as in many types of weights lifted via pulley systems (as in training machines having pulleys with positive and negative cam assisted weights).
With the exception of exercising devices which are freely hand held and are particularly appropriate for exercising the muscles of the arms, chest, shoulders and back, since it is relatively easy to grasp one or both ends with the hands, most exercising devices are usually large, bulky and very heavy machines which are very expensive.